India was warned by the US in October that the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel was a hot target for a potential terrorist strike, according to reports.

America’s ABC News claims a US intelligence official revealed that Indian security agencies were told nearly two months ago that militants might come from the sea to attack hotels and businesses.

It adds that a second source confirmed that specific locations – including the Taj – were given in the warning.

India’s Intelligence sources told the national NDTV news channel they had issued a series of warnings of a possible attack on Mumbai by sea in the months leading up to last week’s devastating onslaught.

However, many Indians have expressed anger at apparent intelligence lapses, including what a senior coast guard official said was a warning militants would attack Mumbai from the sea days before it happened, and a slow reaction by security forces to the rampage.

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A d v e r t i s e m e n t

Ratan Tata, the head of the Taj Group of hotels which owns the Taj Mahal hotel, earlier told CNN that they had received a warning that an attack might take place.

He said: “We did have some measures too, you know, where people couldn’t park their cars in the portico where you had to go through a metal detector.